Archive for January, 2007
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND Review
Nothing about this movie that I didn’t like.
the writing felt real, the directing hit the jackpot.. o and the champion of it all.. Forest Whitaker’s acting was over the top.
I’ve always admired him as an actor, but now it seems like he has found the role of that will put him among the greatest. The role of a lifetime.
Forest does an excellent job of portraying the charisma and insanity of the late dictator Idi Amin.
it’s interesting to see how power can consume just about anyone, not just people in higher places.
Actually….The first reason why I went to see this movie was cause I’m a big fan of Gillian “Scully” Anderson, who plays a doctor in this movie, she was detective scully on X-Files, and wow, to me she still looks beautiful even after all these years.
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LITTLE CHILDREN Review
This movie is filled with great, Oscar-worthy caliber acting performance
The story might be too disturbing to some people,
some scenes are just way too graphic and.. bold.
but I think they’re necessary, cause what you get is a film that’s profound.
Take a guess in the end on who the little children actually are…
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CHILDREN OF MEN
Now I was just curious as to how this interesting concept would be depicted. I mean.. cause it’s a brilliant idea for a story to have a world where no woman are capable of giving birth anymore.
But then I realize that Hollywood always loves to make future seems so… chaotic. Hence, “Waterworld, “Terminator trilogy”, “Blade Runner”.
The future as it is seen in this film ‘Children of Men’ is too.. messy.
I should’ve known better than to see a film that is directed by Alfonso Quaron. He’s the guy behind ‘Y Tu Mama Tambien’ which I think is nothing but a film that just glorifies sexual escapades.
he’s also the director of ‘Harry Potter: the prisoner of Azkaban’, which I think is the only awful version of the installments of Harry Potter franchise, which I usually admire.
Great actors like Michael Caine, Julianne Moore, and Clive Owen failed to compensate for the mess that this film has already gotten itself into.
The only good observation I can make is by observing that very interesting concept again, which I have said before…
of how mankind would be so corrupt that they could end up destroying each other.. to the point that one hope is needed to restore the situation, one hope in a form of the only baby around,
but even that can be taken advantage of for all the wrong purpose, which leads us back to the corrupt nature of mankind.
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THE QUEEN Review
I remember the day when Princess Diana died.. I listened to the news on the radio and it kept repeating and updating as the story developed every hour. Back then I just thought of princess Diana as this hot British chick with a heart of gold.
My mom was pretty saddened by the news of Di’s death that day and so was many people in my neighborhood. At the time I couldn’t figure out why Princess Diana’s death was grieved by so many who never even knew her personally.
And then it hit me,… the power of media.
The movie ‘The Queen’ portrays the days or the following week after that tragic August in a tunnel in Paris. The core strength of this film is all about the brilliant performance and chameleon-like ability of the great Helen Mirren.
You could even believe that you’re watching Queen Elizabeth II herself.. as Helen Mirren commands the storyline, which is smartly written, by the way, with enough wit to keep us entertained.
There is no doubt in my mind….my money would be on Helen Mirren for the Oscar Best Actress winner.
‘The Queen’ is worth watching because it deals with the burdens of leadership.
All hail the Queen, long live Helen Mirren!
after all…. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown.”
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PAN’S LABYRINTH Review
From time to time I’d bump into films that I consider to be some of the greatest of all time, ‘The Godfather’, ‘Forrest Gump’, ‘On the Waterfront’.. and now ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ has respectively joined the list.’Pan’s Labyrinth’ is just visually stunning, but what makes this movie great is its powerful story… you feel for every one of its character.
The bad guy’s so evil, you’d want to jump into the screen and kill him yourself.
The girl’s so human, you’d want to save her from every danger that lurks around every corner.
and then there’s the challenges that she had to go through to prove herself. They keep you at the edge of your seat wondering if she really is what she claims herself to be.
The power of this movie is in the story told cleverly scene by scene.
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NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM Review
I got three words for you..
Roller coaster ride…
this movie’s just pure fun. The concept of having everything in the museum come to life with the funny Ben Stiller stuck in the midst of it all is just brilliant.
But what definitely makes the movie is the presence of legends Dick van Dyke and Mickey Rooney who after all these years still have great comedic timing.
I recommend this movie, most definitely.. go watch it, you’ll have fun:)
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THE GOOD SHEPHERD Review
Now I gotta tell ya, in order to endure watching this nearly 3 hour movie, you would have to prepare yourself to pay attention at every detail and dialogue or else you’d start losing interest and find this film boring.This movie has its moments, particularly moments that would remind us of mafia movies… but overall, ‘The Good Shepherd’ was..slow.
ya know how some of us were disappointed by Tom Hanks unpleasant acting performance in ‘Da Vinci Code’..
well, Matt Damon does the same kind of performance here too in ‘The Good Shepherd’…
all the while you’d be thinking, Matt Damon’s a better actor than this, why did he have to pick a role that only expects him to be cold and unpleasant for nearly 3 hours?
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ROCKY BALBOA Review
I took my dad to see this movie and on the way to the theatre we had a father-son quality talk and he said to me that I often blame others and myself for everything and I tend to forget to focus on the present and take responsibility for my actions and not until then, will I finally be able to start to have a life and reputation
what he said was wise and true and then we watched this movie, and unexpectedly, the character Rocky was speaking the same thing to his son…
This movie is… very good..
now some of you may be laughing right now thinking why in the blue hell would I want to watch a 60 year old Sylvester Stallone back in the ring..
but this movie is more than that..
it’s about coping with the loss of a loved one,
it’s about coping with time,
and it’s about reconnecting with family and whatever it is that makes us alive!
I didn’t care much for Rocky 2,3,4,5 but Sylvester Stallone has brought back the humbleness, the charm and the wisdom of Rocky Balboa the same way wen he first wrote the first movie ROCKY.
‘Rocky Balboa’ is definitely a champ, an American Icon in cinematic history.
As a closing,.. I just wanna say that this past fall season, the movie has been about relationship between fathers and sons,
Apocalypto, Pursuit of Happyness, Blood Diamond, Night at the Museum, The Good Shepherd, and Rocky Balboa..
so take your fathers with you to watch any of those movies especially Rocky Balboa, and have a wonderful season of family time at the movies!
Til next time, Rock on!
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BLOOD DIAMOND Review
My salute to the awesome acting performance of Leonardo DiCaprio..
He has shown the world that he is more than just a ‘Titanic’ poster boy.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets Oscar nod this year or even wins one.
Jennifer Connelly is the supporting actress in this movie.. and holy smokes! Is she one of the most beautiful women on earth or what!! She looks amazing!
A father lost his son to the rebels. A diamond smuggler is on the hunt for that one big diamond that will be his ticket out. In a country ravaged by war, these two people must learn to trust one another in order to find what they’re looking for.
Some of you may already be familiar with the famous documentary ‘Invisible Children’.. .
‘Blood Diamond’ did well on depicting the horrible fact of children being recruited to become soldiers and murderers…
‘Blood Diamond’ works as a wake-up call to the world who are too sleepy to notice that there’s definitely something wrong going on in the world today.
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THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS Review
Now I never doubted Will Smith’s acting abilities…
but this particular movie is way too depressing and sad.
although.. at the end, we cheer for perseverance and faith that finally prevail.
unfortunately to me, the movie fails to inspire,
but it does a good job of portraying how bad things were and how high the unemployment rate was back in Ronald Reagan’s era, at least according to the stories of which my American uncle informed me.
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APOCALYPTO Review
Apocalypto.. now that’s an Awesome movie!! Intense and gripping… Go check it out! I kid you not.
Look., Mel Gibson may be an anti-semite, a drunk and a hater.. but when it comes to film-making, and I mean serious film-making, Mel is still one of Hollywood’s greatest.
And he has proven himself once again with ‘Apocalypto’..
Jaguar is one of village’s promising men whose wife is about to give birth to their second child. Without warning a bunch of slave-hunters attack Jaguar’s village and kill everyone except those who can work or be sacrificed. They’re taken to the one of the world’s known ancient kingdoms. But Jaguar is not going to just give up and die because he has his family to save. His pregnant wife and his firstborn son are waiting and hiding inside a cave.
a mix of Braveheart and history channel captured by excellent cinematography.
you gotta admit… Mel Gibson is one exceptionally talented director
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TENACIOUS D: PICK OF DESTINY Review
This movie Rocks! enough said.
Caution: The movie Tenacious D: Pick of Destiny is NOT for the conservative, the uptight, and the close-minded.
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FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION Review
My friend K.C. is a big fan of Christopher Guest movies like the Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show.. and he won’t get disappointed by ‘For your Consideration’
This movie is hilarious.. some of the things they say or they way they speak it is just absolutely Funny!!
Catherine O’Hara should definitely get an Oscar Nomination for her role in this film as an aging actress that longs to be recognized and honored. You could see the desire and the sadness in her eyes.
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BOBBY Review
This is a great film.. it is a truly heartfelt drama.
Star-studded cast support the storyline that reflects the live and problems in the 60s.
Emilio Estevez wrote and directed this film and did a great job in addressing how at one time in the history of mankind, unlike today, back then people did believe in and strongly feel that politicians could make a difference.
What’s interesting in this film, is that because it has so many stars in it… it’s interesting to point and guess which familiar stars would be shown on the screen that you would recognize,.. it’s like playing a trivia.

THE FOUNTAIN Review
It’s visually stunning, but.. careful..
This movie… is downright boring!!
it’s so boring, I think you need to buy it on DVD so you could watch it again whenever you have trouble sleeping at night… just so you could get right back to sleep…
it works like an effective sleeping pill without the side effects.
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DEJA VU Review
A great take on time travel!
Denzel Washington delivers a powerhouse performance.. as always..
and we can always depend on Jerry Bruckheimer to produce for us entertaining films.. well.. except for the ridiculous ‘Pearl Harbor’.
This movie has a slow intro, but it picks up in the middle, and it picks up fast.. and never lets go..
a well-made thriller.
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CASINO ROYALE Review
I’m sorry but I have to agree with the critics on this one..
This is probably the best James Bond yet.
Daniel Craig may not have the looks and the gadgets, but he’s one tough, hardcore, son-of-a-gun..
This is based on the first Ian Flemming’s novel about how Bond got started. The love story also contributes to how he was heartbroken, which led him to become the heartless womanizer that we all know from previous Bond films.
This particular Bond is vulnerable, not invincible… he’s capable of feeling, losing, and dying… This Bond is more human, more close to reality than the old far-fetched Bonds that just relied on Q’s gadgetry.
But what makes ‘Casino Royale’ excels is Daniel Craig’s brilliant performance who brings us a gritty, and dark side of Bond the 00 Agent.
Go watch this movie, you won’t regret it… but before you do… first throw away everything you think you know about James Bond.
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HARSH TIMES Review
What a load of crap!… Christian Bale’s believable acting is the only thing that’s decent about this crappy movie!
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BABEL Review
Applause and standing ovation for all the performances of all the actors involved in this powerful movie!
Riveting screenplay and directing by the people who brought us great films such as ‘21 grams’ and ‘Amorres Perros’.
This film is a very passionate project!
One thing that didn’t work for me was that when I watched this movie,..
at times it felt like I was watching just a slightly better version of ‘Lost in Translation’.
but Babel successfully delivers important current issues and problems of life in the world today.
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HAPPY FEET Review
Good, but not Great!
Fun, but not ‘Cars’ Fun!
I gotta warn you though… Happy Feet does not always have a happy storyline, in fact it gets sad,… it gets really really sad. before it resolves again to being happy.
But good job to the makers of this movie who have put efforts into making the graphics look simply… breathtaking!
But… ‘March of the Penguins’ still Rules!!
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